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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — a position
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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