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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. fall — the season
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — a tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — in geometry
  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