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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · swing · rush · present · calf · drill · land · ruler

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. drill — army training
  9. present — a gift
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. swing — music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. drill — a practice
  15. land — to come down
  16. swing — in golf
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — there
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. wound — an injury

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