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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rule — government
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. firm — decided
  6. cold — not warm
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — steady
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — a law
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cold — an illness
  22. tube — a container
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — for measuring

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