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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. kick — in football
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. board — to get on
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — wild animals
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. game — a match
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rule — a law
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. board — a committee

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