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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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 — an aircraft
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — in music
  5. spell — magic
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. roll — a cake
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — a list
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rule — a law
  17. key — for a lock
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — an aim
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rule — government

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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