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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — all right
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — a permit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. face — to point toward
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — to confront
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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