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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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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: fork · plane · leaves · content · craft · fan · racket · rest

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rest — what's left
  10. content — happy
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rest — a break
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. content — the amount
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fan — a supporter

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