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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. drill — a practice
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. deal — to handle
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. drill — army training
  21. mark — a trace
  22. snap — to click
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rash — on the skin

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