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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 120 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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. saw — the tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. drill — the tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. row — to paddle
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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