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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — in a road
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. march — the month
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bat — the animal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. plane — an aircraft

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