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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. hand — in cards
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a music group
  13. pound — a weight
  14. hand — help
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. band — a ring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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