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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. present — a gift
  3. mug — a face
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rule — a law
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — in music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rule — government
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mug — a cup
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. fork — in a road
  21. key — the most important part
  22. track — to keep track
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fork — a garden tool

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