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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cap — a lid
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rule — government
  15. spell — a short time
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rule — a law
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — magic
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. cap — of ice

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