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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. face — to confront
  7. current — of water
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — temperature
  11. current — happening now
  12. charge — in control
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. charge — electricity
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. face — to point toward
  18. current — electric
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — for spectators

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