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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. current — of water
  6. snap — to click
  7. rule — government
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bass — low music
  20. current — happening now
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. current — electric
  24. kick — in football

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