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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. object — to protest
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. net — after costs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pit — a hole
  16. object — a thing
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — steady
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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