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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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. court — of a king
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bass — the fish
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rule — government
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. key — in music
  12. snap — to click
  13. court — of law
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — low music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. last — to go on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. court — for sport
  24. last — final

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