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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cold — an illness
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rule — government
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. plane — a tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — a law
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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