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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. band — a ring
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. band — a music group
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. game — a match
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. band — a rubber band

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