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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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. rule — a law
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. key — the most important part
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. sharp — clever
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fall — to drop
  12. saw — the tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. dip — to sink
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. saw — the tool
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rule — government
  22. fall — to drop
  23. key — for a lock
  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