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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chest — a box
  8. rock — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rock — a stone
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. fine — all right
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mine — for digging
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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