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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rule — government
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rule — a law
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rash — hasty
  18. club — for dancing
  19. key — in music
  20. club — a group
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — for golf
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rush — a thrill

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