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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rule — a law
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rule — government
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chip — to eat
  14. plane — a tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. hide — animal skin

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