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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. drill — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. board — a committee
  7. drill — a practice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — army training
  11. board — to get on
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. calf — a young animal
  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