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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — help
  4. face — to confront
  5. club — for dancing
  6. face — part of the head
  7. club — a group
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rule — government
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rule — a law
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. club — for golf
  24. rest — what's left

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