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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. object — an aim
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rush — hurry
  14. object — to protest
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bound — certain
  23. kick — in football
  24. calf — of the leg

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