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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.

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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 · tear · plane · stick · present · stand · calf · racket

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — a gift
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tear — from crying
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — a tool
  16. present — the time now
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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