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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 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitch — completely
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rule — government
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hand — help
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — to wash
  23. saw — the tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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