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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: tear · track · staff · fine · plane · drill · bear · last

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. track — a song
  4. tear — from crying
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. tear — from crying
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. staff — a stick
  12. tear — to rip
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — a path
  17. bear — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. track — to keep track
  21. drill — army training
  22. last — final
  23. fine — all right
  24. last — finally

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