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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — in music
  6. land — to come down
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. present — there
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. land — ground
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — a gift
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. present — the time now
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. land — a country

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