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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — a contest
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — all right
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. race — humankind

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