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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. object — to protest
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. drill — a practice
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pitcher — a jug

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