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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. race — humankind
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — a contest
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. calf — a young animal

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