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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rest — a break
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. drill — army training
  9. rest — what's left
  10. drill — a practice
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rock — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. drill — the tool

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