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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fine — high quality
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — a committee
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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