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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mate — a partner
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a hat
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mate — to breed
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fork — in a road
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cap — of ice
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  24. mouse — the animal

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