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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · rash · plane · toast · ruler · kick

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. march — the month
  10. kick — in football
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. plane — a tool
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. toast — bread
  18. march — music

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