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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. deal — to handle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bat — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cell — in biology
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. hide — to keep secret

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