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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.

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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: plane · track · ball · march · can · hide · stick · suit

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ball — a great time
  16. track — a path
  17. march — the month
  18. can — to be able to
  19. march — the month
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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