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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · rule · arm · object · mark · hide · calf · roll

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. object — an aim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. roll — a cake
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mark — a grade
  13. object — a thing
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rule — a law
  22. object — to protest
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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