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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. hand — help
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hand — in cards
  15. kid — to tease
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kid — child
  18. plane — an aircraft

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