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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — a committee
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. object — a thing
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. board — to get on
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. object — to protest
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — a flat piece
  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