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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chair — a leader
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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