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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. spell — a short time
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — thin
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spell — magic
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — letters
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. drill — the tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — a division
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — army training
  23. chair — a leader
  24. branch — of a tree

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