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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. plane — a tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fall — the season
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. game — wild animals
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bound — obliged
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. game — a match
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. staff — employees
  24. fall — to drop

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