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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. sharp — clever
  3. object — a thing
  4. clip — a video
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. key — for a lock
  11. clip — to cut
  12. object — an aim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. key — in music
  18. pit — in a race
  19. object — to protest
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. clip — for paper
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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