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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: plane · wind · file · trunk · suit · capital · firm · mark

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. suit — clothes
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wind — moving air
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. firm — decided
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a line of people
  14. firm — a company
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. file — a document
  20. capital — a city
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a tool

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