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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. foot — a measure
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a partner
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. last — finally
  9. mate — to breed
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rule — a law
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rule — government
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. kick — in football
  20. last — final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. last — to go on
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — to rule out

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