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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 116 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. branch — a division
  13. firm — steady
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. ground — a position
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. drill — the tool
  23. game — wild animals
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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