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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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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: can · last · fork · plane · firm · saw · hide · hand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. last — to go on
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. last — finally
  6. hand — help
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hand — in cards
  9. last — final
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — steady
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. firm — decided
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fork — in a road
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fork — to eat with

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