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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 116 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 · fan · pitch · chair · wind · root · safe

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wind — moving air
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitch — completely
  5. root — of a word
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — the cause
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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