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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bound · plane · fine · race · spell

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fine — high quality
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. spell — letters
  10. bound — certain
  11. race — humankind
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bound — tied together
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest

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