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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.

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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: plane · stick · pit · fork · temple · spell · row · club

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. plane — a tool
  9. club — a group
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — a hole
  12. club — for dancing
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — for golf
  18. spell — a short time
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. row — a line
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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