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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cold — not warm
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — an illness
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stock — shares
  23. lean — thin
  24. dip — to sink

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