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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. squash — to crush
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — in football
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — an agreement

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