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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — of law
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. court — of a king
  10. game — a match
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. court — for sport
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. game — wild animals
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bore — to tire

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