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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: bat · hide · ruler · calf · rule · wound · spell · leaves

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spell — a short time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spell — letters
  10. bat — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — magic
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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