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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.

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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: file · tube · fork · kick · drill · object · plane · perch

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kick — in football
  3. drill — the tool
  4. file — a document
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. object — to protest
  8. file — a line of people
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. plane — a tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. file — a tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. object — a thing
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — the fish
  21. tube — a container
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — the underground
  24. perch — for a bird

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