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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pop — to visit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pop — music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pop — soda
  21. rest — a break
  22. bank — for money
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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