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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lean — thin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cell — a phone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rule — government
  13. mark — a grade
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. plane — a tool
  18. swing — music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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