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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — from crying
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pitch — completely
  8. field — for sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. field — a subject
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. field — farmland
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pop — soda
  24. mark — to pay attention

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