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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. field — a subject
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. field — for sport
  8. rest — a break
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. field — farmland
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bay — a horse colour

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