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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: fine · kid · calf · ruler · bark · lean · date · bat

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. date — the fruit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — child
  16. lean — thin
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — all right
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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