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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rule — government
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rule — a law
  10. lean — thin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pass — a permit
  14. scale — in music
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. scale — size or range

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