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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. clip — a video
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. clip — for paper
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — an aim
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — help
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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