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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. rest — what's left
  3. face — to point toward
  4. drill — a practice
  5. date — the fruit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rule — government
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rest — what's left
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. drill — army training
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. face — to confront
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rest — a break
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — a law

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