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

Word bank: straw · plane · root · mouse · nail · fine · stick · rest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a word
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rest — what's left
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rest — a break
  13. root — the cause
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fine — high quality
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. nail — on a finger

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