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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. root — of a word
  11. cue — for pool
  12. root — of a plant
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. row — a line
  17. kid — child
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — a tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. wake — a trail
  23. snap — to click
  24. wake — before a funeral

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