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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: rest · arm · mark · track · safe · rash · mate · plane

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a grade
  4. track — a song
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rash — hasty
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — a series
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — a tool
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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