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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — clothes
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hand — help

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