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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lean — thin
  3. row — a line
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — a practice
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. plane — a tool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — a measure
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rule — government
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — a law

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