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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 116 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: ruler · suit · cell · shower · nail · plane · hand · mug

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. shower — rain
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cell — in biology
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hand — in cards

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