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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · march · plane · lean · ruler · pop · dip · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — thin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pop — soda
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. pop — to visit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. march — music
  24. plane — a 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