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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.

Make a worksheet

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 quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. scale — size or range
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lie — to recline
  20. object — to protest
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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