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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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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 · cap · plane · mark · rock · date · patient · firm

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fork — in a road
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — music
  12. firm — decided
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mark — a grade
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — a lid
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cap — a hat

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