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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. scale — in music
  3. rule — government
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. file — a tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. file — a line of people
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a document
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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