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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. band — a ring
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — government
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. object — a thing
  14. craft — boats
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. band — a music group
  20. rule — a law
  21. object — to protest
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. object — an aim
  24. wave — with your hand

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