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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. season — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hand — help
  12. ball — a great time
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. season — of the year
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fork — in a road
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bowl — a football final

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