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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. toast — bread
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. present — the time now
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. cap — a lid
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. drill — the tool
  19. present — there
  20. cap — a hat
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — a gift
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cap — of ice

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