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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 I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rule — government
  12. track — to keep track
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rule — a law
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in 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