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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.

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: plane · craft · roll · safe · ruler · bore · present · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bore — to drill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bore — to tire
  6. present — a gift
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. present — the time now
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. present — there
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — boats
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. roll — a list
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. roll — a cake
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — in geometry

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