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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.

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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — a stone
  7. land — to come down
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. file — a document
  11. rock — music
  12. land — a country
  13. file — a line of people
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. land — ground

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