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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 124 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. present — there
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. present — the time now
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. chair — a leader
  15. kick — in football
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. present — a gift
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. tube — a container
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wave — with your hand

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