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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. file — a document
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. file — a tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cap — a lid
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. file — a line of people
  16. kick — in football
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cap — a hat
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. kick — a thrill

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