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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. file — a document
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. file — a tool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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