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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — music
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rule — government
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — clothes

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