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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · can · fall · wave · drill · craft · calf · pit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — a practice
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — the season
  8. can — a tin
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pit — a hole
  18. drill — army training
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. craft — boats
  22. can — a tin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. can — to be able to

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