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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rule — government
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. scale — in music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — a monarch

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