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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · pop · capital · ruler · bass · rule

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — low music
  4. pop — soda
  5. rule — government
  6. pop — music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. capital — a city
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bass — the fish
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — a monarch
  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