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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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. object — an aim
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fork — in a road
  11. row — a line
  12. object — a thing
  13. mark — a trace
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. object — to protest
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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