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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — a trace
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. lean — thin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rule — a law
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. lean — to rest against
  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