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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 120 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: track · object · can · bat · plane · cap · root · stick

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. object — a thing
  4. cap — a lid
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. cap — of ice
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cap — a hat
  18. object — an aim
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. object — to protest
  22. track — a song
  23. bat — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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