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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fork — in a road
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. club — for golf
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — in a race
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mine — for digging
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. plane — a tool
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. club — a group

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