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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. object — an aim
  4. land — a country
  5. object — to protest
  6. lean — thin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — to come down
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to bend
  17. chest — of your body
  18. land — ground

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