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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: racket · calf · key · tear · ruler · present

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tear — to rip
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. present — a gift
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — in music

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