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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bass — the fish
  24. plane — a tool

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