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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 120 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. file — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. file — a document
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. last — final
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. last — finally
  24. staff — employees

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