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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: track · roll · calf · rush · bulb · clip · deal · ruler

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. deal — to handle
  5. roll — a cake
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — a song
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. clip — a video
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bulb — for light
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. clip — for paper
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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