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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stock — goods
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rule — a law
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. charge — in control
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stock — shares
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. charge — a price
  24. sharp — with an edge

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