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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: ruler · band · face · foot · present · rest · mark · calf

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. present — there
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. band — a ring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. band — a music group
  20. rest — a break
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rest — what's left
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ruler — for measuring

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