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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bank — for money
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. land — a country
  10. rule — a law
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bank — of a river
  15. land — to come down
  16. snap — to click
  17. drill — army training
  18. land — ground
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rule — government
  24. drill — a practice

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