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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. game — wild animals
  5. tear — from crying
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fine — all right
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tear — to rip
  21. roll — a cake
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tear — from crying
  24. game — a match

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