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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rush — hurry
  5. firm — a company
  6. hand — in cards
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. mate — to breed
  17. firm — decided
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a partner
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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