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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — the season
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — soda
  24. straw — dry grass

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