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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: drill · object · ruler · race · plane · deal

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — humankind
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. drill — the tool
  9. race — the arms race
  10. drill — a practice
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. object — to protest
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. race — a contest
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — a big deal

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