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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: hand · last · calf · tube · ruler · plane · bound · nail

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. last — finally
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — help
  4. plane — a tool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. hand — in cards
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — a container
  9. bound — certain
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bound — obliged
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — tied together
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. calf — a young animal
  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