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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: lie · snap · pit · pound · row · plane · nail · season

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pit — in a race
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. season — in sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — a line
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. season — of the year
  17. plane — a tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pound — a weight
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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