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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. plane — a tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. game — wild animals
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rest — a break
  24. wave — of the sea

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