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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. key — in music
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rule — a law
  10. charge — a price
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bank — for money
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bank — for money
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rule — government
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fall — the season

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