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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. tube — the underground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. tube — a container

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