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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. game — wild animals
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. face — to point toward
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. plane — a tool
  17. game — a match
  18. bore — to tire
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. face — to confront
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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