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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. roll — a list
  11. firm — decided
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a cake
  15. row — to paddle
  16. firm — a company
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. toast — bread
  24. row — a line

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