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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. last — finally
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spell — letters
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — magic
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. last — final
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. last — to go on
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. key — in music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rule — a law
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chair — a leader
  24. key — for a lock

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