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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. snap — to click
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wake — a trail
  19. perch — the fish
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — a monarch

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