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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. band — a ring
  7. foot — a measure
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. clip — for paper
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. clip — to cut
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. clip — a video
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. plane — a tool
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — on the calendar

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