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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bore — to drill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — in biology
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. plane — a tool
  11. current — electric
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — happening now
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — of water
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cell — a phone
  24. fork — in a road

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