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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. season — in sport
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. race — a contest
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. season — of the year

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