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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.

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: squash · season · plane · pitcher · key · fork · tube · lean

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — thin
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. tube — the underground
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — in music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. key — the most important part
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. key — for a lock
  23. tube — a container
  24. plane — a tool

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