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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rock — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rock — a stone

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