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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · charge · row · band · saw · fork · land · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. land — to come down
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. firm — a company
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. land — a country
  16. row — to paddle
  17. saw — the tool
  18. charge — in control
  19. firm — decided
  20. row — a line
  21. firm — steady
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. land — ground
  24. charge — a price

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