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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bat — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fork — in a road
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — certain
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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