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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hand — help
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mark — a trace
  10. spring — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lean — thin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pit — a hole
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. spring — the season
  20. lean — to bend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fan — a supporter

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