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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · object · fork · bore · tube · net · straw · jam

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — in a road
  8. object — to protest
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. net — for catching
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. net — in sport
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tube — a container
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. net — after costs
  19. bore — to drill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. object — an aim
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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