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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chest — a box
  18. foot — a measure
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — music
  24. chest — of your body

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