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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. file — a document
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — electric
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a great time
  19. current — happening now
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. file — a line of people
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wake — a trail
  24. file — a tool

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