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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: wound · mouse · nail · plane · mark · cell · pitcher · rush

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. wound — an injury
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — an injury

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