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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: chair · roll · track · content · lean · plane · chip · jam

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. lean — thin
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. track — a path
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. chip — for betting
  14. content — the amount
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. content — happy
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — a tool
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. chip — in a computer

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