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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: band · calf · rest · ruler · pitch · ball · row · mug

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. 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. row — a quarrel
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — a break
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a ring
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mug — a face
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — to rob
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitch — completely
  22. row — a line
  23. rest — what's left
  24. 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