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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mine — for digging
  10. plane — a tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bound — obliged
  13. swing — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — in a road
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. scale — in music

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