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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. last — final
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a leader
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. plane — a tool

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