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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pit — in a race
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cold — an illness
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. scale — in music
  17. current — electric
  18. cold — not warm
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — of water
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. foot — a measure
  24. current — happening now

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