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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stock — shares
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — government
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — in music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. object — to protest
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. scale — size or range
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. object — an aim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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