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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mug — a face
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lean — to bend
  6. tube — a container
  7. rule — government
  8. mate — a partner
  9. tube — the underground
  10. row — a line
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — thin
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mate — a friend
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — a law
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rest — a break
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mate — to breed
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. foot — a measure

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