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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. rest — a break
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bound — obliged
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cap — a lid
  7. charge — a price
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. land — to come down
  11. cap — a hat
  12. land — a country
  13. charge — in control
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rule — a law
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rule — government

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