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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rule — a law
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rule — government
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pitch — completely
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — the most important part

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