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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. roll — a cake
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. squash — to crush
  6. capital — money
  7. present — a gift
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — a company
  17. capital — a city
  18. squash — the sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. present — there
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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