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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wind — moving air
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rest — a break
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rest — what's left

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