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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: lean · game · rule · swing · wake · mark · foot · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rule — a law
  4. lean — thin
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. game — a match
  7. mark — a grade
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. swing — music
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. swing — to play on

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