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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — help
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — what's left
  11. snap — to click
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — all right
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. plane — a tool

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