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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: kid · mug · saw · can · chip · nail · stand · plane

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mug — a face
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chip — for betting
  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