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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rule — government
  8. key — in music
  9. rule — a law
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — to fit
  13. band — a music group
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. swing — in golf
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. clip — a video
  21. suit — in cards
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. swing — music

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