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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cap — of ice
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. plane — a tool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cap — a lid
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — a hat

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