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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. club — for golf
  3. object — an aim
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. club — a group
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. spell — letters
  13. vault — a safe
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — for dancing
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. object — a thing
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spell — magic

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