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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: spell · fan · track · leaves · root · plane · mate · mug

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spell — letters
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. root — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. mug — a cup
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — to rob
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mug — a face
  23. mate — to breed
  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