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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bass — low music
  11. rest — a break
  12. key — in music
  13. ground — a position
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. track — a path
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — a song
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — a supporter

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