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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. key — in music
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. clip — for paper
  8. spring — a coil
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spring — of water
  13. clip — a video
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — to be able to
  18. key — for a lock
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. spring — the season

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