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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. tube — a container
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spring — of water
  7. mug — a face
  8. plane — a tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spring — the season
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rule — a law
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rule — government
  21. snap — to click
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bowl — a football 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