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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — a price
  4. row — a line
  5. object — an aim
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rule — a law
  8. row — to paddle
  9. object — a thing
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. game — wild animals
  13. charge — in control
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. object — to protest
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rule — government
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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