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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — in music
  3. drill — a practice
  4. file — a document
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. face — to confront
  11. charge — a price
  12. file — a line of people
  13. fall — the season
  14. face — to point toward
  15. charge — electricity
  16. key — for a lock
  17. charge — in control
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rule — government
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — part of the head
  23. file — a tool
  24. rule — a law

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