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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — to bear
  3. capital — money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mate — to breed
  6. march — the month
  7. capital — a city
  8. mate — a partner
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. key — in music
  12. track — a song
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. track — to keep track
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — a friend
  22. march — the month
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. march — music

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