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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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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. present — a gift
  3. rule — a law
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. club — a group
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pop — soda
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. present — the time now
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. club — for golf
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — there
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rule — government

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