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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. chip — for betting
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — to go on
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bowl — to roll

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