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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — a line
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cue — a signal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. row — to paddle
  9. cue — a hint
  10. drill — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. press — to push
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. drill — army training
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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