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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. file — a document
  3. snap — to click
  4. plane — a tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — to paddle
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. file — a line of people
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mate — a partner
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a tool
  16. season — of the year
  17. mate — to breed
  18. firm — a company
  19. season — in sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. row — a line
  22. firm — decided
  23. mate — a friend
  24. 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