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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. tube — the underground
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rule — government
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. tube — a container
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. game — a match
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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