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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. spring — the season
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. spring — a coil
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spring — of water
  16. lean — thin
  17. field — for sport
  18. ball — a great time
  19. field — farmland
  20. field — a subject
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ball — a dance

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