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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. charge — a price
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — in control
  15. staff — employees
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to sink
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. staff — employees
  24. coach — a trainer

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