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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mark — a trace
  8. charge — a price
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — in control
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ground — a position
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ground — the earth
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — what's left
  21. charge — electricity
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rule — a law
  24. perch — the fish

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