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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: charge · mate · march · firm · hand · arm · rule · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. march — the month
  3. rule — government
  4. mate — to breed
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. march — music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — in control
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — decided
  15. rule — a law
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mate — a partner
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. leaves — to go away

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