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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wind · deal · file · calf · bound · key · plane · spell

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. file — a document
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spell — a short time
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — in music
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. spell — magic
  17. wind — moving air
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bound — tied together
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. key — for a lock

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