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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. hand — in cards
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rest — what's left
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rest — a break
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — in sport
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — what's left
  16. season — of the year
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hand — help
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — government
  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