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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: rule · cap · calf · mark · arm · bass · ground · hide

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bass — low music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — a lid
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rule — a law
  21. ground — a position
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bass — the fish
  24. arm — a part of something

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