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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. file — a line of people
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. net — in sport
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. file — a tool
  11. wake — a trail
  12. net — after costs
  13. fine — all right
  14. fork — in a road
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fine — high quality
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rush — hurry

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