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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — an aircraft

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