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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 120 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: mate · calf · cap · wound · ruler · rest · club · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. club — for golf
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cap — of ice
  24. club — for dancing

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