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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rash — a series
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. branch — a division
  9. net — in sport
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rash — hasty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. net — after costs
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — to recline

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