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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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