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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rest — a break
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. drill — the tool
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. drill — a practice
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — a hole
  14. drill — army training
  15. branch — a division
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  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