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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: mug · suit · wind · plane · pit · sharp · fork · leaves

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pit — in a race
  6. sharp — clever
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pit — a hole
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wind — moving air
  24. leaves — to go away

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