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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stem — to come from
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. file — a tool
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. file — a document
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mark — a trace
  20. file — a line of people
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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