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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rest — a break
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rest — what's left
  9. clip — for paper
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. clip — a video
  14. drill — army training
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — a practice
  17. clip — to cut
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rock — music
  24. bowl — a dish

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