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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pass — a permit
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. row — to paddle
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. foot — a measure
  11. drill — army training
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rule — a law
  18. kick — in football
  19. drill — the tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. row — a line
  22. plane — a tool
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — to succeed

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