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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bound — tied together
  3. season — in sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — of the year
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. drill — a practice
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. drill — army training
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bound — certain
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bound — obliged
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. drill — the tool
  24. wax — to grow

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