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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. can — to be able to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. plane — a tool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cap — of ice
  14. snap — to click
  15. file — a document
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — in geometry

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