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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. rule — government
  2. cue — a hint
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cue — for pool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. rule — a law
  11. bank — of a river
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a signal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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