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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. key — the most important part
  2. rule — government
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rash — a series
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. season — of the year
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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