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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rule — a law
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. key — in music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. present — there
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rule — government
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — the time now
  18. roll — a list
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. present — a gift
  23. bank — for money
  24. bass — low 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