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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road

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