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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: board · calf · prune · cap · ruler · shower · arm · game

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — to wash
  6. prune — to trim
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — to get on
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cap — of ice
  16. shower — rain
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cap — a hat
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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