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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — a hint
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. tear — to rip
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. shower — rain
  22. cue — a signal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. perch — the fish

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