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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · object · date · plane · wind · mug · can · fork

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. object — an aim
  3. date — the fruit
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mug — to rob
  12. object — to protest
  13. rock — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wind — moving air
  18. object — a thing
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — in a road
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. plane — a tool
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mug — a face

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