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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a hole
  11. clip — a video
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — in cards
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. clip — for paper
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. plane — in geometry

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