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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rule — government
  10. scale — size or range
  11. charge — in control
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — to eat
  16. scale — in music
  17. bat — the animal
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chip — for betting
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pound — a weight
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. chip — in a computer

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