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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. drill — army training
  5. row — a line
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. drill — the tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. plane — a tool
  10. game — a match
  11. season — in sport
  12. row — to paddle
  13. drill — a practice
  14. game — wild animals
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. season — of the year
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a hat
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — an aircraft

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