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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. key — in music
  8. file — a document
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — the most important part
  11. vault — a safe
  12. key — for a lock
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. rule — government
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. can — a tin

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