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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 120 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: object · trunk · ball · calf · racket · rock · ruler · safe

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ball — a great time
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ball — a dance
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rock — a stone
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rock — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. object — a thing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a round shape

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