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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — of the year
  6. staff — employees
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. season — in sport
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fork — in a road
  16. toast — bread
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. staff — a stick
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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