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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: plane · wind · cap · cell · fine · ruler · mine · kick

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. wind — moving air
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fine — all right
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cell — a phone

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