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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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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: wave · ruler · plane · pitch · row · mark · nail · lie

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mark — a trace
  8. row — a line
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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