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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 120 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: hide · mug · racket · chair · craft · rule · plane · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rule — a law
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. craft — boats
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a face
  23. racket — for tennis
  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