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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ground — crushed
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — a city
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. capital — money
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stem — of a plant

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