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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. season — of the year
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. snap — to click
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. season — in sport
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. plane — a tool

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