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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. field — farmland
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. hand — help
  11. tear — from crying
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mug — a cup
  14. field — a subject
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tear — to rip
  20. mug — a face
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tear — from crying
  23. field — for sport
  24. hand — in cards

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