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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. tube — the underground
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. tube — a container
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. plane — a tool
  22. sharp — clever
  23. land — ground
  24. mark — to pay attention

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