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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rash — a series
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — in sport
  7. spell — a short time
  8. season — of the year
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. row — a line
  16. kick — in football
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tube — a container
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rash — hasty
  24. spell — magic

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