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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cold — an illness
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — a trace

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