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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. prune — to trim
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rash — hasty
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. file — a tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. toast — bread
  13. file — a document
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. file — a line of people
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rash — a series
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. plane — in geometry
  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