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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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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: jam · face · rule · key · ground · safe · lean · net

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. key — the most important part
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to bend
  8. net — in sport
  9. lean — thin
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. face — part of the head
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — to point toward
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. face — to confront
  22. ground — a position
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rule — to rule out

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