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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.

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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. lean — thin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. shower — rain
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pop — music
  17. lean — to bend
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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