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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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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 · suit · track · lie · deal · leaves · pass · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bore — to tire
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. track — a song
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — to drill
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pass — a permit

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