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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.

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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: calf · bound · plane · fine · race · spell · object · fork

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fine — high quality
  4. race — the arms race
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — a tool
  12. object — to protest
  13. spell — letters
  14. race — humankind
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. object — an aim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. spell — magic

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