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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: fan · stick · track · plane · capital · trunk · staff · mark

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — money
  5. mark — a grade
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. capital — a city
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. trunk — of a car

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