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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bore — to drill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — a line
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. face — part of the head
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. plane — a tool
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ground — a position
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bat — the animal

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