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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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 — a law
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. degree — an amount
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. face — to confront
  11. pop — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. rush — hurry
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pop — soda
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pop — to visit
  23. degree — from a university
  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