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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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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: wave · plane · deal · cell · march · rule · cabinet · bear

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rule — government
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cell — in biology
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. march — music
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. plane — in geometry

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