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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: calf · game · mark · dip · rush · perch · rule · ball

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rule — government
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a dance
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rule — a law
  21. perch — the fish
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rush — to hurry

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