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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. season — of the year
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — in sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a path
  24. cabinet — ministers

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