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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 116 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: bay · pop · saw · club · plane · object · mine · fork

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pop — music
  3. object — to protest
  4. club — for dancing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pop — soda
  10. mine — for digging
  11. object — an aim
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. object — a thing
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mine — belonging to me

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