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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. object — to protest
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — an aim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. drill — a practice
  17. plane — a tool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. object — a thing
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. drill — army training
  23. branch — a division
  24. scale — in music

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