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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fall — the season
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bass — the fish
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bass — low music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fall — to drop
  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