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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a path
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rule — government
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mouse — the animal

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