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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 116 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. row — to paddle
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wake — a trail
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. press — to push
  10. row — a line
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — a phone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cell — in biology
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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