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

Word bank: lie · rule · stem · spell · fine · kid · calf · rest

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fine — high quality
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — letters
  6. rule — a law
  7. spell — magic
  8. rest — a break
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rule — government
  12. kid — child
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — all right
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. kid — to tease
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rest — what's left

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