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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wake — a trail
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. firm — a company
  11. band — a music group
  12. charge — a price
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — decided
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. calf — a young animal

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