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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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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: lean · bass · drill · deal · arm · plane · object · hand

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — to bend
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — an aim
  6. lean — thin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. object — to protest
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bass — low music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bass — the fish
  16. hand — in cards
  17. object — a thing
  18. hand — help
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — an aircraft

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