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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: mark · craft · plane · nail · court · pit · bat · rule

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. plane — a tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — government
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bat — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rule — a law

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