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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rash — a series
  3. pop — to visit
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pop — soda
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rule — a law
  11. mark — a trace
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rule — government
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fall — to drop

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