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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — an aim
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chair — a leader
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. object — to protest
  10. firm — a company
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. firm — steady
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — a law
  16. wax — to grow
  17. firm — decided
  18. kick — in football
  19. lie — to recline
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — government
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kick — with a leg

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