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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 120 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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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: squash · object · plane · chest · ruler · saw · kick · mine

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. object — a thing
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. squash — to crush
  18. object — to protest
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mine — for digging
  23. kick — in football
  24. squash — the sport

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