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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rest — a break
  3. cue — a signal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. swing — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — a company
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. swing — to play on
  19. firm — steady
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — in golf

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