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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. foot — a measure
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. row — a line
  20. charge — a price
  21. toast — bread
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — the most admired

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