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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. capital — money
  9. chip — for betting
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. capital — a city
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. tube — the underground
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. tube — a container
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — in a computer

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