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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: patient · calf · object · face · bear · ruler · land · prune

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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. land — a country
  4. face — to point toward
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. land — to come down
  8. prune — to trim
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — to confront
  12. land — ground
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. object — a thing
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. object — to protest

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