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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pop — music
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rule — government
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pop — soda
  20. cue — for pool
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rule — a law
  24. cue — a hint

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