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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. tube — a container
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. march — the month
  7. firm — decided
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rule — a law
  11. firm — a company
  12. bank — of a river
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. march — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. tube — the underground
  20. march — the month
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — government
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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