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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — a tool
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rule — a law
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. shower — rain
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rule — government
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. shower — to wash
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — a grade

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