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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fork — in a road
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. chair — a leader
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — music
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. tube — a container
  18. saw — the tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chair — a professorship

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