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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 · plane · pit · wind · mate · racket · cue · suit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fork — in a road
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cue — a hint
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a hole
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — a partner
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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