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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 · row · can · rest · land · bore · last · suit

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rest — what's left
  5. last — final
  6. can — a tin
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. land — ground
  10. row — a line
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to drill
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. last — finally
  16. plane — a tool
  17. land — to come down
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — in cards

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