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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. squash — to crush
  5. spring — of water
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. plane — a tool
  8. squash — the sport
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spring — a coil
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. staff — employees
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — employees
  20. rule — a law
  21. spring — the season
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rule — government

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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