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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. present — there
  3. club — for golf
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. present — a gift
  8. club — a group
  9. suit — to fit
  10. present — the time now
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. club — for dancing
  14. race — humankind
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — government
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — the arms race
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rule — a law
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — a tool

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