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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rule — a law
  3. pop — soda
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. charge — a price
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rule — government
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. foot — a measure
  16. charge — in control
  17. cap — a lid
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — electricity

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