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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wind — moving air
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. game — a match
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — a safe

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