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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. current — happening now
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ground — a position
  12. current — of water
  13. ground — crushed
  14. current — electric
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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