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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — a tool
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. row — to paddle
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. present — a gift
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fork — in a road
  20. row — a line
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — to fit

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