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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. court — of a king
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. court — of law
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. court — for sport
  17. rule — a law
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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