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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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