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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bat — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — a division
  19. rule — a law
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bulb — for light

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