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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. face — to point toward
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — part of the head
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — in a road

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