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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rule — government
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — a thing
  6. charge — in control
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — a series
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — of a word
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — completely
  20. object — an aim
  21. root — of a plant
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. rule — to rule out

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