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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: rock · hand · ruler · wake · charge · object · plane · firm

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. hand — in cards
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. charge — a price
  7. object — to protest
  8. rock — a stone
  9. hand — help
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. firm — a company
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. firm — steady
  17. rock — music
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — electricity
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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