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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · face · rest · chair · race · charge · bear · deal

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — in control
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. race — a contest
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. race — humankind
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. face — to point toward
  19. charge — a price
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. charge — electricity
  23. deal — a big deal
  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