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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 120 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: cell · tube · sharp · firm · calf · temple · suit · rule

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cell — in biology
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rule — government
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. firm — decided
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. tube — a container
  17. rule — a law
  18. sharp — clever
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cell — a phone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. sharp — exactly

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