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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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: present · scale · tear · bear · ruler · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. present — a gift
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. present — there
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. tear — to rip
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — the time now

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