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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 116 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: row · track · fall · bulb · plane · pit · leaves · club

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. track — to keep track
  3. row — a line
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — a path
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. club — for golf
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fall — the season
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fall — to drop
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pit — in a race
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. track — a song

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