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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mate — to breed
  4. hand — help
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mate — a partner
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ground — crushed
  19. plane — a tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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