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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. file — a line of people
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. file — a document
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wound — an injury

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