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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cue — a signal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. foot — a measure
  7. track — to keep track
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rule — government
  12. track — a song
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rule — a law
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. degree — from a university
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cue — for pool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — certain

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