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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rule — a law
  5. row — a line
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. row — to paddle
  9. key — in music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. key — for a lock
  12. present — a gift
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. season — of the year
  16. present — there
  17. season — in sport
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rock — music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — government
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — the time now

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