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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. row — a line
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — after costs
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rock — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — a stone
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. net — in sport
  20. row — to paddle
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rush — hurry
  24. plane — in geometry

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