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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  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 — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. object — to protest
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pop — music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rule — government
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — a thing
  14. plane — a tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. object — an aim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — to confront
  23. bat — the animal
  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