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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wind — moving air
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. season — of the year
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cue — a hint
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mine — an explosive
  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