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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: plane · club · nail · snap · dip · bay · land · cue

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. snap — to click
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — to come down
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cue — a signal
  24. land — ground

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