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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: mate · capital · perch · wave · bay · plane · mine · track

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mine — for digging
  12. track — a song
  13. perch — the fish
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. track — a path
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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