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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. craft — boats
  18. net — after costs
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — a law
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cap — of ice
  24. net — for catching

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