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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. saw — the tool
  9. tube — a container
  10. pit — in a race
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. tube — the underground
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pit — a hole

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