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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. present — the time now
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — soda
  17. present — a gift
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pop — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

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