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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rock — a stone
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rock — music
  11. spring — a coil
  12. date — the fruit
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. spring — the season
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spring — of water
  24. squash — to crush

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