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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rest — a break
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. current — happening now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — to keep track
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. track — a path
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. track — a song
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rule — government
  21. current — electric
  22. vault — a safe
  23. current — of water
  24. chest — of your body

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