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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. deal — to handle
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. march — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — a tool
  13. march — the month
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. fine — all right
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pass — a permit
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ruler — for measuring

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