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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. sharp — clever
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fork — in a road
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — to eat with

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