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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. plane — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. band — a ring
  15. dip — to sink
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. band — a music group
  23. fork — in a road
  24. plane — in geometry

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