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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. club — for golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — a group
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. present — there
  7. club — for dancing
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — in a road
  15. spell — letters
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — magic
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spell — a short time

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