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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: nail · plane · foot · mouse · pass · ground · mug · shower

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a face
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. shower — rain
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pass — a permit
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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