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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stem — to come from
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rule — government
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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