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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 · hide · calf · ruler · straw · cabinet

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — humankind
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. race — a contest
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — the arms race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers

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