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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. firm — steady
  6. clip — a video
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. content — the amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — army training
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — a company
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — happy
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. drill — a practice

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