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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — a position
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cap — of ice
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bore — to tire

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