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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. spell — letters
  4. rest — what's left
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — government
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. spell — magic
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lean — thin
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rule — a law
  19. lean — to bend
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mate — to breed

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