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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. face — part of the head
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stand — to bear
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. race — a contest
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — humankind
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rule — a law
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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