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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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Word bank
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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: hide · firm · calf · racket · present · ruler

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. 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. hide — to keep secret
  2. present — a gift
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — there
  7. firm — a company
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — the time now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. firm — decided
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. 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