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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: roll · suit · fall · sharp · mark · plane · track · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. suit — in cards
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fall — the season
  7. track — to keep track
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. track — a path
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. roll — a list
  13. fall — to drop
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — clever
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — a grade
  24. plane — 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