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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: safe · cell · arm · rule · face · lean · toast · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — government
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. face — to confront
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. toast — bread
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — to bend
  11. face — part of the head
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cell — in biology
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cell — a phone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — thin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. safe — out of danger

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