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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: rule · lean · charge · board · foot · straw · wound · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lean — to bend
  8. board — a committee
  9. lean — thin
  10. board — to get on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rule — government
  17. wound — an injury
  18. charge — in control
  19. rest — a break
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. board — a flat piece
  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