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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rock — music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — a stone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rock — to move gently

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