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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. season — of the year
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fine — all right
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a trace
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. season — in sport
  23. rest — a break
  24. mark — to pay attention

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