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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — a trail
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bear — the animal
  20. land — a country
  21. rule — a law
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lie — an untruth

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