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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mate — a friend
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — shares
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stock — goods
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wake — a trail

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