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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lean — thin
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — soda
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. clip — for paper
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pop — music
  17. clip — to cut
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lean — to bend
  21. clip — a video
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ruler — for measuring

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