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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 120 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hand — help
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rule — government
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. root — the cause
  13. can — a tin
  14. root — of a word
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. can — to be able to
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. calf — a young animal

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