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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rule — a law
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fine — all right
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. snap — to click
  15. squash — to crush
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rule — government
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. dip — to sink
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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