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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. suit — in cards
  3. firm — a company
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. kid — to tease
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — steady
  15. swing — in golf
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. swing — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kid — child
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — clothes

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