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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lean — to bend
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pound — a weight
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. game — a match
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. game — wild animals

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