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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 · foot · current · calf · cap · object · cold · toast

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. object — a thing
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cold — an illness
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. cap — of ice
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — of water
  19. toast — bread
  20. cold — not warm
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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