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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: rash · rule · arm · date · mark · calf · pass · chair

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rule — a law
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rule — government
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mark — a trace
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pass — to succeed

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