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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — a tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. present — the time now
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ball — a dance
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. leaves — of a tree

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