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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 · pit · mark · rule · nail · fan · roll · cell

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. roll — a cake
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cell — a phone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rule — government
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a grade
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rule — a law
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pit — a hole

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