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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chest — of your body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rule — government
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. band — a ring
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. band — a music group
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chest — a box
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rest — a break

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