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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. hand — help
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. spring — of water
  8. hand — in cards
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. spring — a coil
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. spring — the season
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lean — thin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. row — a line

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