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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. toast — bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rule — a law
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. arm — a part of something

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