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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — a tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. suit — to fit
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. suit — in cards
  24. date — the fruit

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