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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bank — of a river
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. can — to be able to
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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