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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. firm — a company
  4. scale — in music
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cap — a hat
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cap — a lid
  13. firm — steady
  14. net — in sport
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. net — after costs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — of ice
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. net — for catching
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com