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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. club — for golf
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rule — government
  8. fine — all right
  9. club — for dancing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. land — to come down
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. land — ground
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. tear — from crying
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — a group
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rule — a law
  23. land — a country
  24. hide — animal skin

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