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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — on a finger

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