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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 120 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
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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: race · nail · lie · patient · object · saw · cue · plane

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — to recline
  5. race — the arms race
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. race — humankind
  11. cue — for pool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — an aim
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. race — a contest
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — to protest

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