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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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. club — a group
  3. chest — a box
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — a law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. race — the arms race
  12. tube — the underground
  13. chest — of your body
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. race — a contest
  18. chest — of your body
  19. club — for golf
  20. race — humankind
  21. club — for dancing
  22. charge — a price
  23. tube — a container
  24. foot — a measure

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