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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rule — government
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — to recline
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. game — a match
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cabinet — ministers

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