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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — to come down
  5. plane — a tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pitch — completely
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. land — ground
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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