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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. rush — hurry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. row — a line
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rule — government
  17. season — of the year
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chest — of your body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — a law

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