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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to confront
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chip — to eat
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. face — part of the head
  21. chip — for betting
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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