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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: present · pitcher · staff · saw · toast · key · rash · rule

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rash — a series
  3. present — there
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. staff — a stick
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. toast — bread
  12. rule — government
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rule — a law
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pitcher — a jug

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