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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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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. season — in sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — certain
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — obliged
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — to eat
  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