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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. swing — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rule — government
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rash — a series
  11. chest — a box
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rash — hasty
  17. swing — to play on
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. calf — a young animal
  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