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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: safe · straw · chair · spring · plane · mark · track · suit

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chair — a leader
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — clothes
  5. track — a path
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. track — a song
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mark — a grade
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. suit — in cards
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spring — a coil

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