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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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468
Word bank
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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. march — music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. snap — to click
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. march — the month
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a line
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. march — the month
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. temple — a place of worship

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