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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. spell — letters
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — a gift
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spell — a short time
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. present — the time now
  19. cell — in biology
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — there

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