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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rule — a law
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rule — government
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — for betting
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mate — to breed
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. roll — a list
  17. mate — a friend
  18. chip — to eat
  19. kick — in football
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mate — a partner
  24. roll — a cake

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