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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.

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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. sharp — clever
  3. firm — decided
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — a company
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — steady
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — for money
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bore — to tire
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. pitcher — a jug

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