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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. net — for catching
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. shower — rain
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. degree — from a university
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. degree — an amount
  19. net — in sport
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. net — after costs
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rest — a break
  24. chair — to sit on

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