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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. plane — a tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. race — humankind
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wake — a trail
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. tube — a container
  19. bound — obliged
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. bound — tied together
  24. tube — in a tire

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