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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rule — a law
  4. spell — letters
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rule — government
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mine — for digging
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. spell — magic
  23. craft — boats
  24. plane — a 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