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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. suit — in cards
  3. face — part of the head
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cue — a hint
  20. face — to confront
  21. cue — for pool
  22. face — to point toward
  23. arm — part of the body
  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