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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — a break
  5. spell — magic
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bank — for money
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — of a river
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bank — for money
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — an aircraft

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