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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 116 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: clip · rock · nail · bay · chair · snap · plane · fork

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fork — in a road
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. snap — to click
  12. clip — for paper
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rock — music
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. clip — to cut
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. clip — a video
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chair — a leader
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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