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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. drill — army training
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rule — government
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. roll — a cake
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — a list
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. foot — the bottom
  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