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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rest — what's left
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — for paper
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bound — tied together
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bound — obliged
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. present — a gift
  22. clip — a video
  23. bound — certain
  24. ruler — for measuring

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