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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fine — all right
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fine — high quality
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rule — government

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