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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. foot — a measure
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — a law
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. band — a ring

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