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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. suit — to fit
  4. row — a line
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — for catching
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fine — high quality
  12. net — after costs
  13. row — to paddle
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. suit — in cards
  19. net — in sport
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — a permit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — a quarrel

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