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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. pop — soda
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rule — a law
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — a company
  13. bank — for money
  14. pop — music
  15. key — in music
  16. cold — an illness
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — government
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rule — to rule out

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