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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rest — a break
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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