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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. key — in music
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. saw — the tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. hand — help
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — for a lock
  13. land — a country
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rule — government
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — ground
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rule — a law
  24. hand — part of the body

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