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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · band · firm · calf · lean · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. firm — steady
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. race — the arms race
  11. firm — decided
  12. lean — thin
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. firm — a company
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. lean — to bend

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