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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. file — a tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — to eat
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. file — a document
  23. cue — a signal
  24. file — a line of people

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