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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · bay · rule · nail · leaves · pass · court · fine

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — soda
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pop — to visit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fine — all right
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pop — music
  23. court — for sport
  24. fine — a penalty

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