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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — to breed
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mate — a partner
  8. row — a line
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mate — a friend
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wake — a trail
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bass — low music
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. trunk — of a tree

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