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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. present — a gift
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. track — to keep track
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — there
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. band — a music group
  14. present — the time now
  15. track — a song
  16. band — a ring
  17. rule — government
  18. track — a path
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. safe — a strongbox

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