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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — government
  13. kid — child
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — part of the head
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rest — a break
  20. face — to confront
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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