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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: track · ruler · club · plane · net · cap · mark · toast

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. club — for dancing
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. net — for catching
  5. toast — bread
  6. net — after costs
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. club — for golf
  10. net — in sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. club — a group
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — a path
  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