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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: pitcher · plane · cabinet · object · foot · rock · arm · fork

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. object — a thing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. object — an aim
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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