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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wind — moving air
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — a container
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — a weight
  15. plane — a tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — a monarch

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