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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cue — for pool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stand — to bear
  24. tube — a container

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