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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rule — government
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. scale — in music
  9. vault — a safe
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — size or range
  15. drill — army training
  16. rule — a law
  17. track — a song
  18. drill — the tool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mark — a grade
  23. track — a path
  24. stand — for spectators

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