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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. track — to keep track
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. track — a song
  9. cue — a hint
  10. firm — decided
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — a company
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — a path
  15. cue — a signal
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — wild animals

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