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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. tube — a container
  12. object — to protest
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. drill — the tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — an aim
  20. drill — army training
  21. foot — a measure
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. object — a thing
  24. drill — a practice

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