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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: degree · jam · lean · mouse · saw · track · plane · mark

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a song
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. track — a path
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. degree — temperature
  14. track — to keep track
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. degree — an amount
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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