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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 124 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. row — a line
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rule — a law
  7. squash — the sport
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. season — in sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. season — of the year
  19. spell — magic
  20. squash — to crush
  21. spell — a short time
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spell — letters
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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