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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 120 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.

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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. plane — a tool
  7. perch — the fish
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. object — a thing
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. branch — a division
  17. object — an aim
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. sharp — clever
  21. object — to protest
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. perch — for a bird

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