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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stock — shares
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fork — in a road
  16. stock — goods
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rule — government

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