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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — a gift
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cap — of ice
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cap — a hat
  13. sharp — clever
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mate — a friend
  18. date — the fruit
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. present — there
  21. mate — to breed
  22. present — the time now
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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