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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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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: mug · pitcher · nail · hand · wind · plane · suit · rush

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wind — moving air
  6. hand — in cards
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rush — hurry
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hand — help
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. plane — in geometry

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