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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fall — the season
  7. last — final
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. last — to go on
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — a tool
  15. last — finally
  16. bank — of a river
  17. firm — steady
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — a company
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. plane — an aircraft

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