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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — a break
  12. band — a music group
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. band — a ring

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