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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. plane — a tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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