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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. firm — steady
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. firm — decided
  9. drill — a practice
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. track — a path
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — a company
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. drill — army training
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. drill — the tool
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fan — a supporter

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