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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 geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — the season
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. hand — in cards
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. squash — the sport
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. object — an aim
  16. spring — of water
  17. plane — a tool
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — to crush
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — to drop
  24. spring — a coil

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