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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — a thing
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. club — a group
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — certain
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bound — tied together
  24. club — for golf

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