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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — a list
  7. kick — in football
  8. file — a tool
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rest — a break
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. file — a document

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