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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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. calf — a young animal
  4. row — a line
  5. field — a subject
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. staff — a stick
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. net — after costs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. field — farmland
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. field — for sport
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. staff — employees
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. net — in sport

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