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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 120 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rule — government
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pass — a permit
  19. snap — to click
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rule — to rule out

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