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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. march — the month
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. net — in sport
  14. march — music
  15. mark — a grade
  16. net — after costs
  17. wake — a trail
  18. net — for catching
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mark — a trace

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