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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. march — the month
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. face — to point toward
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. face — to confront
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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