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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rule — government
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — for golf
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. field — for sport
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rule — a law
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. club — a group
  21. stand — to bear
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  24. stand — for spectators

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