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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. face — to confront
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — decided
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. face — part of the head
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. club — a group
  17. firm — a company
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. firm — steady
  21. club — for dancing
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rush — hurry
  24. club — for golf

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