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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mine — for digging
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a tool
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. file — a line of people

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