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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rock — music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chest — a box
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rash — a series
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. dip — to sink

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