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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 116 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rule — government
  4. current — electric
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cold — an illness
  11. current — of water
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rule — a law
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. calf — a young animal

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