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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. firm — steady
  12. rule — government
  13. face — to confront
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — a law
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fork — in a road
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wound — an injury

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