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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rule — government
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rest — what's left
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rest — what's left
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — the amount
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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