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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. land — a country
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — a law
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — to fit
  15. land — ground
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — government
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. perch — the fish

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