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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 124 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a signal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — the season
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cue — a hint
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fine — all right
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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