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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rash — a series
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — government
  9. roll — a cake
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. roll — a list
  16. rule — a law
  17. rash — hasty
  18. key — for a lock
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. key — in music
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. board — to get on
  24. fall — the season

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