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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. key — for a lock
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. press — a publisher
  8. shower — rain
  9. key — in music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rule — a law
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. press — to push
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — employees
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wax — for sculpting

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