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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. current — of water
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. current — happening now
  9. hand — help
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — electric
  14. pound — a weight
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. tube — a container
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — to keep secret

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