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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. object — a thing
  4. rash — hasty
  5. file — a document
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rest — what's left
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rest — a break
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. file — a tool
  24. rest — what's left

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