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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: ruler · spring · rule · pitch · lash · calf

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — government
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spring — the season
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pitch — completely
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — of water

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