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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · sharp · lean · suit · chest · nail · wake · plane

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chest — of your body
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — thin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wake — a trail
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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