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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — a cake
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — a division
  13. date — the fruit
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. patient — a sick person

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