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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — a tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — in biology
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a song
  20. cell — a phone
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. craft — boats

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