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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rule — government
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. charge — in control
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. capital — money
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. charge — a price
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. capital — a city
  23. face — to confront
  24. jam — a tight spot

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