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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spring — a coil
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tube — a container
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spring — of water
  9. cap — of ice
  10. tube — the underground
  11. spring — the season
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. deal — to handle
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cap — a hat
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — for a hammer

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