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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. last — finally
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rule — government
  10. last — final
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. last — to go on
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rule — a law
  24. chest — a box

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