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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — to recline
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. drill — the tool
  7. land — to come down
  8. object — a thing
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — a country
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. land — ground
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. drill — army training
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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