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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 · fan · bear · ruler · craft · foot · date · chest

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chest — a box
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chest — of your body
  13. craft — boats
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chest — of your body
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  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