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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fall — the season
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pop — soda
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. branch — a division
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. fork — a garden tool

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