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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hand — help
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. land — ground
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. land — a country
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. land — to come down
  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