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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rule — a law
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hand — help
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — government
  12. root — of a word
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. root — the cause
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rule — to rule out

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