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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 124 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cap — a lid
  6. track — a path
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. track — a song
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — a tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — to keep track
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cap — a hat
  21. kick — in football
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kick — with a leg

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