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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. face — part of the head
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — for a computer

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