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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: calf · race · mark · ball · safe · prune · ruler · pitcher

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. prune — to trim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mark — a trace
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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