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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — crushed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a skill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ground — a position
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rule — a law
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mug — a cup
  16. craft — boats
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mug — a face
  22. cue — for pool
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rule — government

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