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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. clip — to cut
  3. plane — a tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. club — for golf
  7. spring — the season
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spring — of water
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rush — hurry
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. club — a group
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. straw — a straw man

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