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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bound — obliged
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — certain

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