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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. march — the month
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — a container
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. march — music
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hand — help
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fine — high quality
  22. march — the month
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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