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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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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: mug · rule · can · arm · land · coach · face · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mug — a cup
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — to point toward
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — a law
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. land — to come down
  17. mug — to rob
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. game — a match
  23. can — to be able to
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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