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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: rule · mark · chair · fine · fork · calf · bay · rush

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rule — government
  24. fine — high quality

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