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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's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. game — wild animals
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bass — low music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. branch — a division
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. game — a match
  23. rest — a break
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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