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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. court — of a king
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. face — part of the head
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — government
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. current — happening now
  12. bat — the animal
  13. court — of law
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rest — what's left
  16. face — to confront
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. current — of water
  19. court — for sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. face — to point toward
  23. current — electric
  24. lie — an untruth

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