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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — in sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. lie — to recline
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lean — thin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — an aircraft

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