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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — of water
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — a coil
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. spring — the season
  24. rule — a law

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