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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: row · suit · plane · ruler · saw · march · ball · cabinet

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. row — a line
  4. suit — to fit
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ball — a great time
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — a tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. march — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — to paddle
  21. march — the month
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a dance
  24. plane — an aircraft

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