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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. rule — government
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fine — high quality
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — of water
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — in music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. current — electric
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. current — happening now
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rule — a law
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cue — a signal
  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