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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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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: sharp · plane · deal · calf · fan · bear · drill · field

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — a practice
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. sharp — clever
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. drill — army training
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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