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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · plane · stick · fan · suit · ground · rash · rest

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rash — a series
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rest — a break
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ground — a position
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. plane — an aircraft

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