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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 120 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — the season
  12. bound — certain
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. row — to paddle
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — obliged
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. row — a line
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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