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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 120 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: nail · root · snap · plane · file · lash · lean · suit

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a document
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. snap — to click
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lean — thin
  13. plane — a tool
  14. file — a tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. root — the cause
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. suit — to fit
  21. root — of a word
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. file — a line of people
  24. lash — to lash out

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