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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. capital — a city
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. can — to be able to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rash — a series
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. capital — money
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fork — in a road

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