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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · bear · rush · staff · bore · rule · straw · hide

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — hurry
  4. staff — employees
  5. rule — a law
  6. bore — to drill
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rule — government

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