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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · fall · can · spell · arm · cap · nail · plane

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. plane — a tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — a short time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fall — to drop
  12. track — to keep track
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. track — a song
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — magic
  20. cap — of ice
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — for a hammer

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