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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rule — government
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. object — to protest
  8. craft — boats
  9. object — a thing
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. kick — in football
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — a law
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bank — of a river
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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