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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — the time now
  8. mug — a cup
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. present — a gift
  13. sharp — clever
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rush — hurry
  16. foot — a measure
  17. plane — a tool
  18. present — there
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. foot — part of the body

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