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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rule — a law
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mate — a friend
  6. fall — the season
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rule — government
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — the most important part
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — in music
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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