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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — a song
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a path
  8. suit — to fit
  9. row — to paddle
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. hand — in cards
  13. current — electric
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. track — to keep track
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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