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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: fall · mark · snap · calf · lean · rush · ruler · stick

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fall — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — thin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fall — to drop
  18. snap — to click
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — a trace

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