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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 116 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: lean · calf · key · mouse · ruler · fall · cold · board

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — in music
  7. cold — not warm
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cold — an illness
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to bend
  17. board — to get on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fall — the season
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. board — a committee

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