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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: lean · object · hand · ruler · rock · plane · tube · fork

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — thin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. object — to protest
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rock — music
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — help
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. object — an aim
  16. lean — to bend
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. object — a thing
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fork — in a road
  24. ruler — for measuring

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