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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lean — thin
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. land — a country
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. band — a ring
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. board — to get on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rock — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a music group
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. board — a committee
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lean — to rest against

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