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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: wave · calf · firm · kid · ruler · trunk · bear · straw

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. firm — a company
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — decided
  18. kid — child
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. straw — dry grass

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