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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rule — government
  6. last — to go on
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ground — a position
  17. rule — a law
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chip — to eat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. last — final
  24. last — finally

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