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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — music
  6. capital — money
  7. perch — the fish
  8. march — the month
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. scale — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — size or range
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. capital — a city
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. march — the month

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