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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: face · plane · bulb · staff · pitcher · rule · racket · rush

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. face — to confront
  5. rule — government
  6. staff — employees
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rule — a law
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — employees

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