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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. current — happening now
  3. rule — government
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — to paddle
  7. current — of water
  8. mine — for digging
  9. key — in music
  10. rule — a law
  11. kick — in football
  12. current — electric
  13. swing — music
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. swing — in golf
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. row — a line
  22. swing — to play on
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. key — the most important part

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