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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. land — a country
  8. spring — of water
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. land — to come down
  11. spring — a coil
  12. land — ground
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spring — the season
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. object — an aim

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