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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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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: stand · wake · plane · mate · swing · nail · deal · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — music
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mate — a partner
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stand — to bear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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