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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wind — moving air
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. snap — to click
  13. face — part of the head
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ball — a dance
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. face — to point toward
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. face — to confront
  24. plane — in geometry

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