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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 116 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. court — for sport
  4. object — an aim
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — of law
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — to protest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. plane — a tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — a thing
  22. court — of a king
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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