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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lean — thin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bound — certain
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bound — obliged
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tube — a container
  21. craft — boats
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. tube — in a tire

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