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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rest — a break
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — on a finger

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