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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. club — for golf
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cue — a signal
  11. club — a group
  12. rule — a law
  13. fork — in a road
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cue — a hint
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. press — to push
  24. plane — a tool

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