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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. game — a match
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. season — in sport
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — of the year
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. game — wild animals
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ruler — for measuring

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