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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. rule — government
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — in music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  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