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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cell — a phone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — a break
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. face — part of the head
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rule — government
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. face — to point toward
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rule — a law
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. face — to confront

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