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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — steady
  7. fall — the season
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fall — to drop
  17. plane — a tool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. perch — the fish
  21. firm — decided
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. firm — a company

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