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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rock — music
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rest — a break
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hand — help

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