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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: date · calf · lash · field · game · ruler · toast · fan

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. game — wild animals
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. field — for sport
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. toast — bread
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. date — the fruit

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