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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. track — a song
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. key — in music
  5. hand — help
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rule — government
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. present — there
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lie — to recline
  21. track — a path
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fan — a supporter
  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