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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: pit · plane · ruler · rule · content · bass · row · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pit — a hole
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pit — in a race
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bass — low music
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — a line
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rule — a law
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rule — government
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. content — happy
  22. bass — the fish
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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