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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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rule — a law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rule — government
  7. key — in music
  8. pop — soda
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pop — to visit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — a path
  13. file — a tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. track — a song
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. file — a document

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