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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — from a university
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rule — a law
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. degree — an amount
  13. key — in music
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rash — a series
  18. track — a song
  19. rule — government
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — a break
  22. rash — hasty
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — for a lock

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