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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — there
  4. chip — for betting
  5. band — a ring
  6. rule — a law
  7. charge — electricity
  8. field — farmland
  9. present — the time now
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — for sport
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chip — to eat
  17. foot — a measure
  18. field — a subject
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. charge — a price
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. band — a music group

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