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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mate — to breed
  5. content — happy
  6. pitch — completely
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fork — in a road
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rule — government
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rule — a law
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. content — the amount
  24. mate — a partner

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