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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. scale — in music
  4. clip — for paper
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. degree — an amount
  8. clip — a video
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — size or range
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. degree — from a university
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — a tool
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. spell — a short time
  22. degree — temperature
  23. lean — to bend
  24. spell — magic

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