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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — to keep track
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. cold — not warm
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a path
  11. scale — size or range
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cold — an illness
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. track — a song
  18. hand — help
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. calf — a young animal

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