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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. club — a group
  6. rule — a law
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. net — after costs
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. last — finally
  11. game — a match
  12. roll — a cake
  13. club — for dancing
  14. net — for catching
  15. roll — a list
  16. club — for golf
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rule — government
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. game — wild animals
  23. net — in sport
  24. last — final

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