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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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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: ruler · saw · wake · band · pit · plane · safe · object

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — a hole
  15. object — an aim
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pit — in a race
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a music group
  24. saw — the tool

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