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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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