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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: march · can · rule · staff · bay · rash · wound · plane

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rule — government
  8. staff — employees
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wound — an injury
  11. march — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. staff — a stick
  14. plane — a tool
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. can — a tin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. march — the month
  20. rule — a law
  21. staff — employees
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rash — a series
  24. bay — a horse colour

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