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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. march — the month
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rash — a series
  12. rule — a law
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rule — government
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. can — a tin

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