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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rule — a law
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. rule — government
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bound — certain
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bass — low music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — for a lock

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