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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rule — government
  5. pit — in a race
  6. key — in music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. plane — a tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — for a lock
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ground — the earth
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pit — a hole
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ground — a position
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rule — a law

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