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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. clip — a video
  9. degree — temperature
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bore — to drill
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. degree — an amount
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bore — to tire
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bore — gave birth

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