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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · spring · row · face · fine · sharp · fork · plane

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — all right
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spring — a coil
  6. can — to be able to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. sharp — clever
  9. row — a line
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. spring — the season
  12. fork — in a road
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — high quality
  15. face — part of the head
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. plane — a tool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spring — of water
  24. face — to confront

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