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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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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: kid · roll · ruler · trunk · craft · land · rest · calf

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. land — ground
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — a break
  6. kid — child
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. land — a country
  13. craft — a skill
  14. roll — a list
  15. rest — what's left
  16. land — to come down
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. kid — to tease
  21. roll — a cake
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — a monarch

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