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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fine — high quality
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — a gift
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. present — there
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — all right
  17. rule — government
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rush — hurry

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