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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.

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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 · track · last · rest · plane · cabinet · racket · object

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. track — to keep track
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — to protest
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. last — finally
  15. track — a song
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. track — a path
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — final
  21. object — a thing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — an aim
  24. racket — for tennis

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