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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. land — to come down
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — a country
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lie — to recline

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