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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. rule — a law
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rule — government
  11. dip — to sink
  12. march — music
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. march — the month
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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