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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: fan · fine · arm · plane · lie · nail · mouse · saw

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — the tool

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