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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chest — of your body
  4. lean — to bend
  5. squash — to crush
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rule — government
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. club — a group
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chest — of your body
  15. squash — the sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rule — a law
  18. lean — thin
  19. chest — a box
  20. key — for a lock
  21. club — for golf
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. key — in music
  24. pass — to spend time

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