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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 116 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. swing — to play on
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — a hint
  10. swing — music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cue — for pool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rule — a law
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rule — government
  24. track — a song

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