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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bound — certain
  9. fine — high quality
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stem — to come from
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fine — all right
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bound — tied together
  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