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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 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. capital — money
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pop — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a grade
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. capital — a city
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pop — to visit
  17. present — there
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pop — soda
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. present — the time now

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