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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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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 · snap · safe · content · lash · stick · drill · pound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. drill — army training
  6. snap — to click
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. drill — a practice
  18. content — the amount
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. content — happy
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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