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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rest — what's left
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. band — a ring
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wake — a trail
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — music
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — hurry
  15. march — the month
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. band — a music group
  18. march — the month
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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