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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. deal — to handle
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. court — for sport
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. court — of a king
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. court — of law
  16. band — a ring
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — in a road
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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