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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — the cause
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. last — finally
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — a law
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. root — of a word
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rest — a break

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