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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. clip — a video
  3. vault — a safe
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — to be able to
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. clip — for paper
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. can — a tin
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. clip — to cut
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rule — a law
  22. staff — a stick
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lash — an eyelash

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