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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. net — for catching
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. can — to be able to
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bore — to drill
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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