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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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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: rule · cap · rest · leaves · march · board · calf · racket

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rest — what's left
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cap — a lid
  6. board — to get on
  7. rest — a break
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. march — the month
  11. cap — a hat
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — a law
  20. board — a committee
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. march — music

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