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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. hand — help
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lean — thin
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. rule — a law
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. firm — steady
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — decided
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. firm — a company
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lean — to bend

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