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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. swing — music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. net — after costs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — for catching
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — size or range
  16. swing — to play on
  17. plane — a tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. swing — in golf
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. scale — in music
  22. net — in sport
  23. band — a music group
  24. lie — to recline

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