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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 116 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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — government
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lie — to recline
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. shower — rain
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — in music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — to wash
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. scale — size or range
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. key — in music

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