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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spring — of water
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — an aim
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — a hole
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. object — a thing
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — to protest
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spring — the season
  24. sharp — with an edge

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