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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. toast — bread
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rash — a series
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. content — happy
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wind — moving air
  18. content — the amount
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rash — hasty

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