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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. key — in music
  4. kid — child
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lie — to recline
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rule — a law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. kick — in football
  16. kid — to tease
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — government
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stem — to come from

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