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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
468
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: foot · rash · plane · leaves · perch · suit · pound · track

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rash — hasty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a song
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — a path
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pound — a weight
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rash — a series
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. plane — an aircraft

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