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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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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: content · ruler · row · plane · pass · calf · race · nail

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. row — a line
  4. pass — a permit
  5. race — a contest
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. content — happy
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. plane — a tool
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. content — the amount
  24. pass — to spend time

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