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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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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: bowl · face · rule · stand · ruler · cap · track · calf

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rule — government
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. track — a path
  9. face — part of the head
  10. track — a song
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. face — to confront
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. calf — of the leg

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