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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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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 · court · stand · plane · saw · arm · rest · mate

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. court — of law
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — a friend
  16. court — for sport
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. court — of a king
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  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