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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bat — the animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — an aim
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — magic
  12. current — of water
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. current — electric
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — letters
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — happening now
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rule — to rule out

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