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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: lean · cell · plane · wound · saw · tube · track · craft

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lean — thin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. track — a path
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. craft — a skill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lean — to bend
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cell — a phone
  24. lean — to rest against

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