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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rule — government
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. hand — in cards
  6. last — finally
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. last — final
  13. object — a thing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. scale — in music
  19. object — to protest
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. last — to go on
  24. rule — a law

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