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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. swing — to play on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. court — of law
  6. swing — music
  7. court — for sport
  8. snap — to click
  9. rest — what's left
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — boats
  12. plane — a tool
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. clip — a video
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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