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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: suit · foot · plane · pop · tube · mark · toast · cell

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cell — in biology
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. toast — bread
  5. tube — a container
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cell — a phone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pop — music
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pop — soda
  14. foot — a measure
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pop — to visit
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — a tool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. plane — in geometry

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