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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fall — the season
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fine — high quality
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rule — government
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — to protest
  18. rule — a law
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. object — a thing
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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