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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mate — a friend
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — certain
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. firm — decided
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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