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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. spring — of water
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. drill — the tool
  8. spring — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — in music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. drill — army training
  22. rush — hurry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. spring — a coil

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