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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 116 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — in a race
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fork — in a road
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a hole
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fork — a garden 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