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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
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: lean · straw · charge · bowl · nail · fall · plane · tube

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. charge — electricity
  8. tube — a container
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fall — the season
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. charge — in control
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lean — to rest against

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