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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. field — a subject
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — an illness
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cold — not warm
  17. rest — a break
  18. field — farmland
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. field — for sport
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stand — for spectators

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