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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chest — a box
  6. court — for sport
  7. rule — government
  8. court — of law
  9. chest — of your body
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — of a king
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. chest — of your body
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rule — a law
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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