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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — a weight
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — government
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — a container

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