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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. plane — a tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. game — a match
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fall — to drop
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fall — to drop
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fall — the season
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — thin
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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