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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: branch · sharp · ruler · rule · calf · kid · plane · pass

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rule — government
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rule — a law
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. plane — a tool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — an aircraft

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