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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hand — help
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — a signal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lean — thin

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