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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. plane — a tool
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lean — thin
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — to bend
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pitcher — a jug

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