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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rule — government
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. face — to confront
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. face — to point toward
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ground — the earth

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