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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pitch — completely
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — decided
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — a company
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rule — a law
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rule — government

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