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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wound — an injury
  8. capital — a city
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. deal — to handle
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. capital — money
  24. wound — an injury

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