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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rule — government
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — the most important part
  7. firm — steady
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. firm — decided
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — a law
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mate — a friend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — of the leg

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