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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.

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: rule · bass · mouse · arm · kick · present · face · mug

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. face — part of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rule — government
  13. kick — in football
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. face — to confront
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — there
  19. bass — the fish
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mug — a face
  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