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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
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: plane · fork · nail · racket · hide · season · fan · game

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. game — a match
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — a tool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fork — in a road
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — of the year
  24. fan — to cool the air

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