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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lean — thin
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rule — a law
  8. season — in sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — all right
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. season — of the year
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rule — government
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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