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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. capital — a city
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — high quality
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. capital — money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lie — to recline
  19. squash — to crush
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. plane — in geometry

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