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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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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 · rest · coach · rule · row · lean · calf · bay

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rule — government
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — thin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rest — a break
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. row — a line
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — a law
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. row — a quarrel

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