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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chair — a leader
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bass — the fish
  23. snap — to click
  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