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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a face
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. press — a publisher
  10. chest — of your body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chest — of your body
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mug — to rob
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. row — to paddle
  21. chest — a box
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. row — a line
  24. mug — a cup

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