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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 120 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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hand — help
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fine — high quality
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — for light
  24. saw — the tool

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