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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kick — in football
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rule — government
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. firm — a company
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rule — a law
  15. foot — a measure
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. firm — steady
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. mark — a grade

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