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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rest — a break
  19. cap — a hat
  20. dip — to sink
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — part of the body

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