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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 116 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: key · craft · bay · fork · capital · plane · rule · lie

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rule — a law
  4. capital — money
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — boats
  7. key — in music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — government
  18. capital — a city
  19. key — the most important part
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rule — to rule out

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