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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. plane — a tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — of a plant
  7. row — a line
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. root — of a word
  17. rash — hasty
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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