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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. track — a song
  4. mate — a friend
  5. track — to keep track
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mate — to breed
  9. firm — steady
  10. track — a path
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — a company
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rule — a law
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mate — a partner
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — a young animal
  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