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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fork — in a road
  3. track — to keep track
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fine — all right
  8. track — a path
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rock — music
  14. track — a song
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. plane — a tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rock — a stone
  24. racket — for tennis

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