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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mate — to breed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. pound — a weight
  8. object — a thing
  9. fine — all right
  10. rule — a law
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fine — high quality
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. object — an aim
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rule — government
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — to crush

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