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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. court — for sport
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. court — of law
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lean — thin
  17. court — of a king
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. rush — hurry
  24. band — a rubber band

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