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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. spell — magic
  5. track — a song
  6. object — a thing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. spell — letters
  10. court — for sport
  11. rule — a law
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. court — of a king
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. track — a path
  22. object — an aim
  23. spell — a short time
  24. plane — in geometry

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