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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · rule · object · last · rash · plane · date · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. plane — a tool
  6. last — finally
  7. object — to protest
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kick — in football
  10. date — the fruit
  11. last — final
  12. object — an aim
  13. rash — a series
  14. object — a thing
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. last — to go on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. rash — hasty
  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