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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
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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: fine · rush · sharp · fork · land · firm · lean · plane

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. firm — a company
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. land — to come down
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. land — ground
  14. fine — all right
  15. lean — to bend
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. land — a country
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — decided
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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