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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: swing · lean · chest · saw · rule · mark · ruler · plane

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chest — a box
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — of your body
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mark — a grade
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rule — a law
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chest — of your body
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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